


Word Count

by drivingmishcrazy



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/F, They love each other so much, Useless Lesbians, tiny fics everywhere, wlw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:08:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28966605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drivingmishcrazy/pseuds/drivingmishcrazy
Summary: mini fics/chapters detailing important moments in Tara and Emily’s life together focusing on the words or phrases they use.
Relationships: Tara Lewis/Emily Prentiss
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Three and Four

They were dancing in the kitchen.

It had become a nightly ritual for Tara and Emily. No matter whose house they were at, every night they would cook dinner and clean up the kitchen together. Sure, Tara took the lead because Emily had a bad habit of slicing her fingers and burning the bottom of whatever side they were cooking, no matter  _ what  _ it was, and to make up for it, Emily shouldered the brunt of the responsibility for dishes. But it was a team effort, something they could do together and they managed to turn a daily chore into something that they would back on with fond memories for the rest of their lives. Every night they fell into the comfortable routine, and every night it ended with them dancing in the kitchen, Tara singing along softly with whatever song was playing and Emily laying her head on Tara’s shoulder with a sigh of contentment and a deep, pure happiness.

That night, it started with Emily putting the last plate in the dishwasher rack and pressing ‘start’, and Tara coming up from behind and wrapping her arms around Emily before placing a soft kiss on her cheek. Emily hummed happily and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. The hands around her waist tightened just a fraction as Tara bent down to kiss Emily’s neck and jawline, swaying them from side to side, soft, low notes falling from her lips in tune to the song. Emily felt so safe in Tara’s arms, so happy and warm, that the words came tumbling out before she could stop them.

“I love you.”

There was the minutest of pauses, a skip of a beat, the momentary equivalent of missing the last step on the stairs. Emily stiffened, stood stock straight, turned around and opened her mouth to apologize. They had only been together for three months, it was  _ way  _ too soon to be saying  _ that,  _ even if she  _ had  _ known from their very first kiss. She got the first two syllables of the apology out before a pair of lips silenced her, hands cupping her jaw. When Tara pulled away and pressed her forehead to Emily’s, she was smiling, her nose was crinkled and her eyes were misty. She took Emily’s hands in hers and kissed the delicate fingertips one by one before she responded, her voice a husky whisper.

“I love you, too.”

In an instant their lips were crashing together again, hot and slow and full of everything they had both been too scared to say before that night. It was like a dam had burst. Once the words were out, they couldn’t stop saying them. They said it in hushed tones between kisses, said it as Emily guided Tara down the hall to the bedroom. They were the words falling from Tara’s mouth that night, punctuated with gasps as she came with Emily’s mouth on her. They were the words that Emily said, high pitched and needy, when Tara’s fingers slid inside of her. And they were the words that they murmured back and forth to each other in the dark as they drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms, Tara’s hand tracing hearts on Emily’s stomach.

Three words, with a four word response.

Yet they were all Tara and Emily needed.


	2. Four and One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tara has something to ask Emily

Ten months later, they were at a garden party.

It was early summer, and Rossi was celebrating the release of his latest book and its subsequent rise to the top of the bestsellers list. The air was warm, although the breeze cooled it as the sun went down. Tara had gotten the ring six months ago and had been waiting for just the right time to ask. When she had gone to Rossi the week before to get his consent to do it the night of the party, not wanting to overshadow his most recent accomplishment, the man’s response had been a fatherly smile and the words, “It’s about time you made an honest woman out of her” followed by a warm hug. When she had voiced her concerns, Dave dismissed them with a wave of his hand and muttered something about how he had written plenty of bestsellers but it wasn’t every day that one of his dearest friends got to propose to the love of her life.

Tara had been a bundle of nerves all night. It was beautiful, lights seemed to twinkle everywhere in a soft, hazy glow, as if it were a dream. They drank and danced and laughed until the sun sank low in the sky, bathing the scene in hues of orange, periwinkle, and gold. Just after the moon rose and the first few stars appeared in the sky, Tara pulled Emily away from the crowd under the guise of looking at all of the natural beauty of the garden. They walked until they reached a secluded spot, obscured by pink and white blooms. There in the dusk, Tara got down on one knee, hoping that the grass wouldn’t permanently stain her new dress pants. She’d had a whole speech planned out about how much she loved Emily, how she was Tara’s dreams made reality and how all she wanted was to spend the rest of her life with Emily with promises and rings, a hyphenated last name, raising children and growing old together. But in that moment, on her knees with Emily’s hands clasped in hers, words failed Tara. Tears sprang to her eyes and she was overwhelmed by the strength of her emotion, the strength of her love. Tara didn’t know how long Emily waited for her, silent, patient, before she managed to choke out four words.

“Will you marry me?”

For a split second, Tara was  _ sure  _ that the answer would be ‘no’ as she saw something flash in Emily’s eyes. Tears rolled down her cheeks and dripped onto the grass below and Tara lowered her head, unable to process either her fear or her love. A soft hand fell on her cheek and wiped away her tears, forcing Tara to look back up at this woman, her beloved. Emily’s brown eyes swam with tears of her own and her lips trembled before her answer came, soft and breathless and filled with barely contained joy.

“Yes.”

Tara rose to her feet, barely able to process it. One word, one word that had taken all of her fears and replaced them with elation. Emily laughed at the look of disbelief and repeated the word over and over again, kissing Tara each time she did.

“Yes. Yes. Yes.”

Soon they were both crying and laughing, Tara’s arms wrapped around Emily’s waist. She pulled the ring box out of her coat pocket and she wasn’t sure whose hand shook more as she slid the ring on Emily’s finger. Then they were kissing again, unable to contain their happiness. Emily laughed when Tara spun her around and flung her arms over her fiancées neck, pulling her into a tight embrace. They stayed like that for a long moment before returning to the party. Emily’s face warmed when Tara caught Rossi’s eye and he announced to all of his guests that as excited as he was about his new book becoming an instant bestseller, there would be  _ two  _ celebrations that night and congratulated Tara and Emily on their engagement. Tara laughed and pressed her lips to Emily’s cheek and the shorter woman nuzzled her affectionately when their friends approached, all practically screaming their well wishes. If there had been a party going on before, their happy news seemed to feed the jovial mood even further. By the time they crashed into bed that night, or rather that  _ morning,  _ both Tara and Emily were drunk. Not on champagne, though they’d both had their fair share, but on happiness and love. 

Four words in the form of a question and their one word answered had changed their lives, made them better than they had been before.

In a few short months, a few more words would change them again, turning two into one.


End file.
